## markdown_to_xml()


Parse CommonMark/GFM and render as XML.


Usage

``` python
markdown_to_xml(
    text,
    *,
    hardbreaks=False,
    smart=False,
    normalize=False,
    sourcepos=False,
    unsafe=False,
    footnotes=False,
    extensions=(),
    options=0
)
```


Produces an XML representation of the parsed abstract syntax tree (AST). Each Markdown construct is represented as a named element (e.g., `<paragraph>`, `<strong>`, `<code_block>`), with text content preserved in `<text>` elements.

The XML output conforms to the CommonMark DTD and includes an XML declaration and DOCTYPE. This format is useful for debugging, AST inspection, or piping into XML-based toolchains.


## Parameters


`text: str`  
The Markdown string to parse and render. Must be a Python `str`.

`hardbreaks: bool = ``False`  
Render soft line breaks as hard breaks in the AST. By default, this is `False`.

`smart: bool = ``False`  
Convert straight quotes to curly quotes, `--` to en-dashes, `---` to em-dashes, and `...` to ellipses. By default, this is `False`.

`normalize: bool = ``False`  
Consolidate adjacent text nodes in the parsed AST. By default, this is `False`.

`sourcepos: bool = ``False`  
Include `sourcepos` attributes on elements indicating their line/column positions in the original Markdown source. By default, this is `False`.

`unsafe: bool = ``False`  
Allow raw HTML to pass through. By default, this is `False`.

`footnotes: bool = ``False`  
Enable footnote syntax parsing. By default, this is `False`.

`extensions: Sequence[str] = ()`  
A sequence of GFM extension names to enable. Valid names are `"table"`, `"strikethrough"`, `"autolink"`, `"tagfilter"`, and `"tasklist"`.

`options: int = ``0`  
An integer bitmask of [Options](Options.md#multimark.Options) flags (e.g., `Options.SMART | Options.UNSAFE`). Merged via OR with any boolean keyword arguments set to `True`. Defaults to `0`.


## Keyword Arguments Vs. Options Flags

The boolean keyword arguments (`smart`, `unsafe`, `hardbreaks`, etc.) are convenience shortcuts for the most common [Options](Options.md#multimark.Options) flags. When both styles are provided, they are merged via OR. See [markdown_to_html()](markdown_to_html.md#multimark.markdown_to_html) for a detailed explanation.


## Returns


`str`  
The rendered XML string, including the XML declaration and DOCTYPE.


## Examples

Inspect the AST structure of a simple document:


``` python
from multimark import markdown_to_xml

print(markdown_to_xml("**hello**"))
```


    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <!DOCTYPE document SYSTEM "CommonMark.dtd">
    <document xmlns="http://commonmark.org/xml/1.0">
      <paragraph>
        <strong>
          <text xml:space="preserve">hello</text>
        </strong>
      </paragraph>
    </document>


Add source position information:


``` python
markdown_to_xml("# Title\n\nBody text\n", sourcepos=True)
```


    '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\n<!DOCTYPE document SYSTEM "CommonMark.dtd">\n<document sourcepos="1:1-3:9" xmlns="http://commonmark.org/xml/1.0">\n  <heading sourcepos="1:1-1:7" level="1">\n    <text sourcepos="1:3-1:7" xml:space="preserve">Title</text>\n  </heading>\n  <paragraph sourcepos="3:1-3:9">\n    <text sourcepos="3:1-3:9" xml:space="preserve">Body text</text>\n  </paragraph>\n</document>\n'